Planktonic foraminiferal shell weight and boron isotopic composition as proxies for carbonate system parameters: Insight from sediment trap studies in the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela

The area-normalized shell weight (ANSW) and boron isotopic compositions of planktonic foraminifera collected from Cariaco Basin, Venezuela sediment traps were used as proxies for seawater carbonate ion concentrations ([CO32-]) and pH respectively. Three species of planktonic forams: G. ruber (pink), G. sacculifer, and O. universa were used in conjunction with known hydrographic data to calibrate the relationship between carbonate ion concentration and area-normalized shell weight. Individuals of each species were picked from sediment trap samples collected between January 2005 and September 2008, then weighed and photographed for size analysis. The individual foraminiferal ANSW were averaged for each sample (n > 10) and compared to the concurrent [CO32-] calculated from time-equivalent hydrographic data (pH, alkalinity, temperature, salinity, nutrient concentrations). The results of this study revealed strong positive-linear relationships between [CO32-] and the ANSW of G. ruber (r2 = 0.84), G. sacculifer (r2 = 0.90), and O. universa (r2 = 0.52) for broad size fractions. The results also suggest that the relationship between [CO32-] and ANSW is variable amongst species and thus species-specific equations are necessary when using foraminiferal ANSW during down-core paleo-oceanographic reconstructions. The relationship between pH and the boron isotopic composition of sediment trap foraminiferal calcite was also assessed. Trap samples containing 3-5 mg of O. universa were prepared for boron isotopic analysis on the Neptune MC-ICP-MS using a micro-sublimation method following oxidative cleaning and dissolution via nitric acid. The results of these sediment trap calibration studies were then compared to previously published calibration equations. The determination of seawater [CO32-] and pH using the proxies above will allow for the derivation of all other carbonate parameters during down-core paleo-climatic and paleo-oceanographic studies.